WOW: Absent But Interested!

Hi everyone,

I’m still on my trip. I’ve been out of range quite a lot and I have to admit that I am really loving being plugged out! It’s been great so far, but I have been too relaxed to get around to downloading photos or anything like that yet. I can do all that when I get home.

I will say though, I did miss catching up with all of you for WOW last week so here I am, posting it up, because I do love seeing what stage your WIPs are at.

Have you all entered the Accuquilt GO!Baby comp below??

WIN a GO!Baby Fabric Cutter

The folks at AccuQuilt are very generously giving away

a GO!Baby Fabric Cutter and 3 dies

to 1 lucky reader of this blog.

I have personally entered 3 blogger competitions to win a GO!Baby, so I know how big the demand is out there to own one! I am really delighted to be able to give one away to one of my readers. Whoever wins it, you’re going to love it!

ENTER NOW!!

Something I think we all do when we enter these comps, is scroll down to make sure our entry comment is there. So, to make things as interesting as possible (and I’m curious too), I am asking that you leave behind your favourite quote / saying or proverb in your comment.

1. Go to http://www.accuquilt.com/ and select 3 dies
2. Leave a comment at the end of this post which includes:
3. Your favorite quote, saying or proverb and
4.  Your 3 selected dies

Goodluck!

The competition will be open for entries for 4 weeks

1 entry only per person

This worldwide competition is open to everyone

Your prize will be shipped to you from AccuQuilt directly

The winner will be selected randomly, using a random number generator

The winner will be selected and announced when I return from my trip

...

in the meantime

You can download 22 patterns from AccuQuilt for free, simply click below.

I have downloaded these and added them to my collection,

they’re excellent and definitely worth looking into.

My Challenge Entry: Light and Shade

This post relates to my membership of the International Quilt Challenge. We have our own blog, why not take a look?

My Challenge Piece: 'Shadow and Sunshine'

The first challenge was set by Annabel: she chose Light and Shade. I already have a quilt called sunshine and shadow so I started calling my challenge that out of habit. It’s so connected in my mind, that I really have no option but to call my challenge piece Shadow and Sunshine.

It’s A3 size for those of you who are interested. We have no size restriction, but I feel that I do need a limit and I also like the idea of having like sized pieces at the end of the challenge cycle. That said, I might change my mind at any moment.

I was inspired by the idea that shadows are a degree of absence, not an absence.

I was in several minds regarding the quilting, I thought about detailed quilting for each section, but felt drawn back to the original idea I had had - quilting by straight lines, the direction light travels in. I quilted in tones of grey and yellow to create the light and shadow.

I quilted and basted this piece the day before my trip, after my DD and I had packed and unpacked my suitcase 5 times!! I was already a bit tired, but there was no way I was going to miss the challenge deadline!

I went for charcoal and gold for my binding

And breathed a big sigh of contentment when it was complete. I was really lucky because I had exactly 10 minutes worth of daylight left outside to take a picture in.

I do invite you to see our other member's interpretations of this theme, over at our blog:

http://internationalquiltchallenge.blogspot.com/

Light and Shade: finishing my challenge

This is a post related to my entry in the International Quilt Challenge, of which I am a member.

I am very relieved top say that I managed to finish my first challenge on time. The day before leaving on my trip actually. Here are some pics of my progress. I did have a hard time selecting the thread, especially for the yellow shade. I felt that the yellow was too bright, but didn’t want it too subtle. Happily, I chose the right shade and it turned out the way I wanted.

I am really looking forward to seeing everyone else’s interpretation of this theme shortly!

The first challenge is Light and Shadow and the challenge deadline is the 23^rd Sept. I am really looking forward to seeing what the other International Quilt Members have been up to this last month….you can take a look too...

WOW: Fabric Arrival

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

As I was heading out the door to go to the airport, a package arrived for me. Not just any old package, but the fabric range I have ordered for my next project! I quickly checked them over to make sure they were all there, they look wonderful in real life, and then had to leave them behind.

They have been ordered so that I can start my next BOM: it will be a 13 month mystery based on flowers, and it's an all round exciting project. I'm really looking forward to making it. New fabric does have that effect on me!

Wish Me Bon Voyage!!

By the time you read this, I will be in the air, flying with my DH, just the two of us. Yes, we are up and away!!

This trip is a special one because it has a story behind it. When I opened my online shop, I boasted to my husband that I would fly the both of us to Paris on the proceeds. Well…of course I was joking. I don’t actually earn enough to cover expenses, let alone take holidays, I do what I do only because I love it. So I was very happy when my DH surprised me last week by telling me we were going to Europe. Yes, can you believe I only had 1 week to pack??? And organize things???

My DD took a snap of us packing the car….(is she eager to see us go?) We think so. 

Both my DDs think the house could be a little less…..well, creative….so I have left strict instructions that none of my things or my studio is allowed to be 'tidied up'. I’m not too concerned (at the moment) because I don’t think 5 weeks is enough time for them to actually attempt tackling my studio. I should know, I’ve tried! I'll keep reminding them just to make sure I think... 

I will post whenever I find Wi-Fi, just as I am now.

Those of you following my BOM, Peaceful Pathways – the next block will of course, still be posted as usual on the 15^th of October, I will make sure it is, wherever I am on my travels.

I also managed to finish a few little WIPs in the whirlwind that was last week…and I will be announcing an exciting competition as soon as I find time to type it up!

I will be checking in with my Yahoo Group and emails…but from more exotic locations than usual.

Esther's Occassional Quote for the Day